Chaos In A Coupe: Divya Dugar's Book Is A Tribute To Dogs, Travel, & Freedom

When Divya Dugar set out to document her journeys across India with her three Indie dogs, toddler, and husband, what started as a simple travelogue evolved into a meditation on belonging, motherhood, and freedom. Her book, Chaos in a Coupe, is a personal chronicle that signifies something much more profound.

Divya's book, with vivid detail of the Indian Railways' first-class coach and a deep affection for her canine companions (Tigress, Pari, Marcopolo), captures the interior worlds of those who dare to travel unconventionally.

Amid the 'chaos' of delays, eccentric co-passengers, and logistical challenges, she writes of finding a sense of unusual calm.

In an interview with SheThePeople, author and journalist Divya Dugar reflects on the 75 train journeys that shaped her book Chaos in a Coupe and how these travels impact her understanding of home and belonging.

More than that, she says the book chronicles her story as a woman choosing freedom and claiming her space—in train compartments, in public, in life. Here is an excerpt from the interview:

Divya Dugar In Conversation With SheThePeople

STP: When you first started writing Chaos in a Coupe, what did you imagine the book would be, and how did it evolve?

Divya: I started writing Chaos in a Coupe when I moved to Paris with my crew—my three dogs and my son. But after a month or so, I became pregnant and was severely ill, suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG). The book took a backseat.

I resumed writing after surviving the first year of parenting my daughter, Elora, and coping with the loss of our dog Tigress. That experience pushed me to share our amazing adventure with the world.

STP: What was your childhood and upbringing like, and how did your early travels influence the way you explore the world now?

Divya: I grew up in a very traditional family—we never travelled. The only trips we took were to weddings, funerals, and temples.

I saw the beach for the first time when I was 18, and the mountains around 21. I always had a deep desire to explore, travel, and see the world.

I started working as a journalist for France 2 at 22, and I never stopped travelling after that. I travelled to cover stories and long-format documentaries.

Along the way, I realised how much I love adventure. Working as a journalist definitely shaped my travels, my sense of adventure, and the hustling attitude that came with it.

STP: 75 train rides in India with three dogs and a baby sounds both exciting and exhausting! What did that journey teach you about resilience, patience, and adaptability?

Divya: Our train journeys in the first class of Indian Railways were full of adventure. Of course, there was the time factor—many trips lasted over 30 hours.

There were delays, noisy neighbours, strict TTs, a bored toddler, and restless dogs. But somewhere in the middle of all that chaos, we found our rhythm.

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We read books, snacked endlessly, and spent hours walking up and down the corridor. We chatted with fellow passengers, hung out in the guard room, and mapped train halts for snack breaks and quick strolls.

It was on these journeys that we discovered the true joy of slow travel. Travelling stopped being about grand moments and became about the little things—the unexpected delays, the charm of obscure stations, and the joy of sampling local food at every stop.

If you ask me, the best way to experience India is on a train.

STP: What were some of the most challenging parts of your travels? How did you stay prepared for unexpected moments of 'chaos'?

Divya: Travelling with dogs is full of surprises—everything can go wrong. Sometimes, no cars were willing to take us to our destination, hotels would refuse us, or one of the dogs would fall sick.

We tried to preempt a lot of these issues and prepare as much as possible, but we also had to rely on the generosity of strangers and stretch our luck more than a few times.

Our planning always started with booking a coupe and choosing the right train. We sought help from hotels to arrange pet-friendly transport, researched nearby vets and paediatricians, and made sure we had access to the food our toddler and dogs are used to.

We planned meticulously—but with three dogs and a toddler in tow, it was never quite enough. Adapting on the go, improving with each trip, and finding last-minute solutions became the only way to travel with our motley crew.

STP: You write passionately about indies, their strength, and their beauty. What do you wish more people understood about them?

Divya: My book is a love letter to Indies—India’s native street dogs—and the life we’ve built together. The only reason this story exists is because I share it with three incredible dogs, all rescued from the streets of New Delhi.

They haven’t just been part of the journey—they are the journey. Their resilience, loyalty, and spirit have shaped every adventure, and in many ways, my life.

There’s no better time to read this book. With ongoing debates around the value of Indian Pariah dogs, I want to say this clearly: Indies are extraordinary.

They are intelligent, adaptable, deeply loyal, and uniquely in tune with the environments they come from. They deserve respect, love, and a place in our homes—not just on our streets.

This book is a testament to them—and to the life you can build when you stop chasing perfection and start embracing what’s real.

STP: What did travelling with your pack teach you about being a responsible traveller?

Divya: Travelling with three dogs and a toddler made our journeys slower, more mindful, and more responsible. We relied on public transport, reducing our carbon footprint, and avoided over-consumption by walking, cooking, and supporting small local eateries.

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There was no checklist of sights to tick off—every new patch of grass, every street we walked (even for the tenth time) brought joy to the dogs.

Their simple excitement reminded us to slow down and be present. Over time, this way of travel changed how we saw the world—and how lightly we moved through it.

STP: When your child, Marius, looks back on these journeys years from now, what do you hope they’ll remember most?

Divya:  I definitely think these travels have shaped Marius’s personality. I’m not sure how much he remembers from all our journeys, but one thing is clear—he absolutely loves the dogs, and all animals for that matter.

He’s a kind and responsible boy who has grown up travelling with the dogs and sees it as completely normal. For him, coexisting with animals isn’t unusual—it’s just how life works.